Such a system, wherein the pouch comprises pre-moistened tissues, is marketed by Scott Paper Co., Philadelphia, Pa. 19113, USA, under the trade name Baby Fresh.
In this system, a refill pouch made of laminated polyethylene film contains a folded stack of wet baby wipes. On a topface of the pouch, the film is provided with a line of weakening, the topface being covered by a glued-on tab that firmly adheres to the topface. To open the pouch, the tab is pulled so that the film of the pouch is ripped and the contents are exposed. To prevent the moist tissues from drying out, they can be taken from the pouch and placed inside a box-shaped plastic container. It is also possible to place the opened pouch inside the container as is shown in instructions on the pouch.
The above described refill system has as an advantage that by multiple use of the container, the waste coming from used-up product is reduced. Upon opening of the pouch however, the topface and the side face of the pouch are torn in a relatively irregular manner, so that the sides of the stack of tissues are exposed. Upon dispensing of the stack's topmost tissue from the container, the underlying tissues can accidentally be touched so that the hygienic conditions of those tissues deteriorates. Because the moist tissues can through the rip in the pouch contact the inside of the container, the container can in course of time be contaminated by the moisture of the tissues.
A storing and dispensing system containing a pouch which has a preformed dispensing aperture is known from the European patent application EP-A-0 370 192.
In this patent application a paperboard box is described for storage and dispensing of a stack of moist tissues. The paperboard box has a dispensing opening which is covered by a paperboard lid that can be opened along a pre-perforated line. The paperboard box is at its inside provided with a fluid-impervious layer of polyethylene, which is opened at the same time as the box is opened. In another embodiment, the paperboard box is provided with a liquid impervious, sealed, inner pouch in which the napkins are contained. The pouch is in the area of the dispensing opening of the box affixed to the inside of the box. The inner pouch can be opened by tearing loose a tab which remains at one end fixed to the pouch and which can be folded back over the pouch's aperture for reclosure.
The storing and dispensing system of this kind is not fit for multiple use, no refill being possible after the contents of the box have been used. Also is the recloseability of the known system limited since the tab of the pouch, that functions as a sealing lid after first time opening, rests on the peripheral edge of the dispensing aperture in a non-sealing manner.
In the French patent FR-A-2 376 802, a pouch containing moist tissues is disclosed, in which an oval shaped line of weakening is provided in the topface of the pouch. The topface of the pouch is covered by an adhesive label which upon removal tears the topface along the line weakening the pouch material which is stuck to the bottom of the adhesive label is removed from the pouch together with the label and a well-defined dispensing aperture is formed after opening. The pouch can be stored in a container.